MLB Late Wednesday Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for August 12, 2026
Last updated: Aug 12, 2026, 12:28AM | Published: Aug 11, 2026, 8:26AM
Draftstars Australia's MLB Late Wednesday DFS contest kicks off at 11:38am AEST on August 12, 2026, and Fantasy Insider has looked at the data for every player on the slate to help you build winning line-ups.
A reliable Draftstars cheat sheet is essential for MLB fantasy players. This DFS preview is designed to help you build your fantasy teams for Draftstars' MLB contests and improve your season-long fantasy line-ups on Wednesday and beyond.
Featured MLB Games
Draftstars' MLB Late Wednesday slate consists of these games:
- Los Angeles Angels vs Texas Rangers
- Athletics vs Tampa Bay Rays
- San Diego Padres vs Milwaukee Brewers
- San Francisco Giants vs Houston Astros
- Los Angeles Dodgers vs Kansas City Royals
- Arizona Diamondbacks vs Colorado Rockies
Fantasy Insider, renowned for its world-class DFS tools and projections since 2015, uses the same machine learning models as Stats Insider to come up with some of the best DFS projections in the world.
With the latest MLB fantasy insights and DFS strategies from Fantasy Insider, you're set to win in more MLB fantasy contests.
Cheat Sheet and Projections
We've reviewed every player from every team to help you find the best selections on Wednesday's slate.
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Hunter Brown (HOU, P) | $20,360 | 19.3 | 0.9 |
| Value | Ryan Johnson (LAA, P) | $11,850 | 16.2 | 1.4 |
| Fade | Victor Mesa (TB, OF) | $8,820 | 1.6 | 0.2 |
| Cheapie | Connor Norby (COL, 1B) | $5,000 | 5.4 | 1.1 |
According to Fantasy Insider's DFS model, our "stud" is the highest projected scorer across the slate, while "value" picks provide the most "bang for your buck," meaning they are expected to perform well relative to their salary.
Conversely, a "fade" is a player considered to offer lower value for money, based on their expected score relative to their salary. For those needing to stay under the salary cap, "cheapie" options highlight the best value players at lower price points not already mentioned.
In fantasy sports, understanding value—assessing a player's potential output against their salary—is crucial, as players scoring high relative to their cost are key in crafting the optimal line-up.
The "Pts/$1K" metric shows the predicted points for every $1,000 of a player's salary. A higher number indicates better value, making it easier to spot players who could outperform their cost.
Positional Breakdown
C (Catcher)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | William Contreras (MIL) | $8,420 | 7.5 | 0.9 |
| Value | William Contreras (MIL) | $8,420 | 7.5 | 0.9 |
| Fade | Liam Hicks (TB) | $8,680 | 3.2 | 0.4 |
| Cheapie | Yainer Diaz (HOU) | $7,010 | 6 | 0.9 |
SS (Shortstop)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Robert Witt (KC) | $9,080 | 9.7 | 1.1 |
| Value | Markus Betts (LAD) | $7,260 | 7.8 | 1.1 |
| Fade | Osleivis Basabe (SF) | $8,080 | 1.7 | 0.2 |
| Cheapie | Jacob Cronenworth (SD) | $6,030 | 6.2 | 1 |
OF (Outfielder)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Shohei Ohtani (LAD) | $10,400 | 11.2 | 1.1 |
| Value | Shohei Ohtani (LAD) | $10,400 | 11.2 | 1.1 |
| Fade | Victor Mesa (TB) | $8,820 | 1.6 | 0.2 |
| Cheapie | McKenzie Moniak (COL) | $5,000 | 5.3 | 1.1 |
3B (Third Base)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Junior Caminero (TB) | $9,530 | 8.2 | 0.9 |
| Value | Manuel Machado (SD) | $8,150 | 7.7 | 0.9 |
| Fade | Nolan Arenado (AZ) | $9,020 | 5.8 | 0.6 |
| Cheapie | Maxwell Muncy (LAD) | $7,650 | 4.6 | 0.6 |
2B (Second Base)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Ketel Marte (AZ) | $9,910 | 7.8 | 0.8 |
| Value | Jacob Cronenworth (SD) | $6,030 | 6.2 | 1 |
| Fade | Richard Palacios (TB) | $9,030 | 2.9 | 0.3 |
| Cheapie | Luis Rengifo (SD) | $6,570 | 4.5 | 0.7 |
1B (First Base)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Frederick Freeman (LAD) | $8,270 | 8.4 | 1 |
| Value | Connor Norby (COL) | $5,000 | 5.4 | 1.1 |
| Fade | Timothy Tawa (AZ) | $8,460 | 2.5 | 0.3 |
| Cheapie | Salvador Perez (KC) | $6,180 | 6.7 | 1.1 |
P (Pitcher)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Hunter Brown (HOU) | $20,360 | 19.3 | 0.9 |
| Value | Ryan Johnson (LAA) | $11,850 | 16.2 | 1.4 |
Conclusion
When building your MLB Late Wednesday teams, consider starting with a value player like Ryan Johnson. To secure one of the highest projected scorers, Hunter Brown is a strong option. If you're looking for budget-friendly choices to free up salary cap for more studs, check out our cheapie options, including Connor Norby.
On the other hand, according to our model, Victor Mesa is one of the lowest value options on the slate, suggesting you might want to limit exposure to him if entering multiple line-ups.
Ready to go? Draftstars' MLB Late Wednesday slate closes at 11:38am AEST on Wednesday. ENTER NOW!
As with all MLB DFS contests, whether you start with our studs or build around our value picks, leveraging Fantasy Insider's data-driven MLB fantasy news and strategies, combined with your own research, can enhance your chances of winning in the MLB Late Wednesday contest. The unique insights here can help you balance star power, value and budget management when you make your MLB DFS line-ups.
For the latest projections and optimised MLB Late Wednesday line-ups, check out the Fantasy Insider Cruncher on Draftstars! It's free to use when you're logged in.
Please note that if you use our DFS tips for betting purposes, ensure you gamble responsibly and keep track of your money. For free and confidential support, call 1800 858 858 or visit gamblinghelponline.org.au.

